NR #1995-028: For Immediate Release
Classis Wisconsin Overtures Board of Trustees to Unseat Classis Grand Rapids
East for Ecclesiastical Disobedience
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
Reformed Believers Press Service
KENOSHA, Wis. (March 15, 1995) RBPS - Classis Wisconsin became the CRC's
fourth classis to call for disciplinary action against churches with women
elders when it passed a motion on March 14 asking the CRC Board of Trustees
to "rule that delegates from Classis Grand Rapids East be given the privilege
of the floor, but be denied the privilege of voting on all matters before
synod until such time as Classis Grand Rapids East complies with the
decisions of synod on this matter."
The Classis Wisconsin overture closely parallels an action by the 1994
General Synod of the Reformed Church in America approving a recommendation by
the RCA's General Synod Council not to seat delegates from two classes which
failed to discipline member congregations which refused to pay denominational
assessments. Rev. Les Kuiper, pastor of First CRC in Oostburg, told delegates
that he had consulted with his colleague in Oostburg RCA who had moved that
the delegates from the two classes be given the privilege of the floor at the
RCA General Synod.
"The reason we brought it this way is that the Board of Trustees could bring
this to synod as a recommendation at the beginning of synod; that way this
can be dealt with early in the synod rather than at the end," said Kuiper.
"It seems to me this is a way of being gracious while still taking some
action about this."
Most delegates to Classis Wisconsin strongly supported the overture -
including some regarded as moderates on the women in office issue. "Now that
these people have started to become impatient, it has become a matter of
conscientious objection and some of these people are willing to split the
church over this," said Rev. Clifford Bajema, a key architect of a Classis
Wisconsin overture which led to the 1992 synodical decision allowing women to
"teach, expound the Word of God, and provide pastoral care" without
ordination.
"I respect the principles of these people, but in taking this position, you
also have to be willing to take the consequences," continued Bajema. "We're
in the midst of a political situation now, in the midst of that Classis Grand
Rapids East is not only making a conscientious statement but also a political
statement."
Two former ministers of Classis Grand Rapids East came to the defense of the
classis, however. "As someone who served in Classis Grand Rapids East for
seven years, I object to the statement that Classis Grand Rapids East is
letting churches do whatever they want," said Rev. Ed Laarman of Covenant CRC
in Appleton. "They are not taking the church order lightly. What if the vote
[on women in office] went the other way? Would we want classes with women
officers to take this kind of discipline against, say, our classis?"
Rev. Wendell Gebben, pastor of First CRC in Sheboygan and former secretary
of a Classis Grand Rapids East committee appointed to meet with one of the
churches with women elders, also warned that discipline could become a
two-edged sword. "When we're talking about [classis] not sending church
visitors there, we've got to remember that they've been sending church
visitors there for 20 years," said Gebben. "Remember that we talked earlier
about churches in this classis not paying their quotas. If we're going to do
this, we ought to do the other, and I think we should do neither."
Despite opposition, the overture passed by a margin of 18 to 13 and will now
be sent on to the CRC Board of Trustees for consideration.
According to CRC General Secretary Dr. David Engelhard, who also serves as
secretary of the CRC Board of Trustees, the Classis Wisconsin request raises
some procedural concerns.
"I haven't yet seen the overture and would want to study it more before
speaking definitely, but the Board of Trustees has been very wary of
asserting to itself any of the prerogatives of synod," said Engelhard. "Even
if that were not true, the report of the Board of Trustees is processed
through an advisory committee as with all other reports of denominational
committees. I'm not sure the synod has ever acted to give the Board of
Trustees special status."
Engelhard also noted that the board had recently decided against adding
members to denominational study committees on the ground that only synod had
the right to do so.
If the delegates from Classis Wisconsin - who include the author of the
overture - choose to press their case at synod, the first items of business
may be crucial. Scheduled to be convened in Grand Rapids on June 13 by Rev.
Cal Bolt of Twelfth Avenue CRC in the Grand Rapids suburb of Jenison, Synod
1995's first item of business will be to elect its permanent officers - a
task which assumes that synod has determined which delegates have presented
proper credentials and are entitled to be seated. Bolt's role in reading the
roll of delegates, declaring synod to be officially constituted, and
presiding until officers are elected - normally a procedural formality - may
become a hotly disputed item at this year's synod.
Cross-References to Related RBPS Articles:
#1994-038: Classis Grand Rapids East Votes "In Principle" to Permit Churches
to Disobey CRC Synod's Ban on Women Elders
#1994-041: Unprecedented Decision of Reformed Church in America Synod Removes
Voting Rights from Two Regional Classes
#1994-050: Classis Grand Rapids East "Refines" July Decision to Disobey
Christian Reformed Synodical Ban on Women Elders
#1994-064: Number of Christian Reformed Churches Allowing Women Elders
Reaches Seventeen
#1995-012: Classis Illiana Overtures CRC Synod to Disenfranchise Classis
Grand Rapids East for Ecclesiastical Disobedience
#1995-020: Minnesota South Asks Synod to Disenfranchise Churches with Women
Elders and Terminate Members from CRC Committees
#1995-021: Classis Hudson: Remove Churches with Women Elders from Christian
Reformed Denomination, Effective Immediately
Contact List:
Rev. Clifford Bajema, Campus Minister, Geneva Campus
5610 South Hill Dr., Madison, WI 53705 * O: (608) 251-0860 * H: (608)
231-2205
Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North
America
2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0744 * H:
(616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834
Rev. Wendell Gebben, Pastor, First Christian Reformed Church
527 North Ave., Sheboygan, WI 53083 * O: (414) 458-3112 * H: (414) 457-5955
Rev. Les Kuiper, Pastor, First Christian Reformed Church
215 S. 8th St., Oostburg, WI 53070-0305 * O: (414) 564-3238 * H: (414)
564-2725
Ed Laarman, Pastor, Covenant Christian Reformed Church
15 Sunray Ct., Appleton, WI 54915 * O: (414) 731-5731 * H: (414) 731-3333
Dr. Philip R. Lucasse, Stated Clerk, Classis Grand Rapids East
3096 Old Kent Rd. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 * O: (616) 957-6000 * H: (616)
942-1219
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